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New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 6749

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Klementina Možina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: history and usability of typography, graphic elements and visual communication with user’s experience
Prof. Dr. Maja Brozović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Graphic Design and Imaging, University of Zagreb Faculty of Graphic Arts, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: structural elements in graphic design for visual communication in different media

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The visibility and legibility of graphic elements and typography is crucial for the rapid absorption and processing of information, the speed of which depends on the typography and graphic design. If visual communication is conveyed via modern media and displays, its visibility and legibility depends not only on the graphic design but also on the type of device (e.g., screen, tablet, phone) and the resolution of the display or screen. If visual communication is transmitted via conventional printed media, i.e., physical objects, its visibility and legibility, amongst other aspects, depends on the printing technique and the substrate used.

This Special Issue contains high-quality original research papers on the following topics:

  • The visibility of graphic elements (e.g., pictograms, information graphics, typography, graphic solutions) across different media (digital, physical, phygital);
  • Legibility across different media (digital, physical, phygital);
  • The influence of design solutions for graphic elements on visibility and/or legibility across different media (digital, physical, phygital);
  • The influence of the use of color on the visibility and/or legibility of graphic elements and typography across different media (digital, physical, phygital);
  • User experience efficiency of visual elements across different media (digital, physical, phygital);
  • Graphic elements applied to different age groups and media used.

Prof. Dr. Klementina Možina
Prof. Dr. Maja Brozović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • different media
  • graphic element
  • legibility
  • typography
  • visibility
  • visual communication

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 4657 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Design for Sustainable Gift Packaging
by Andreja Pogačar and Diana Gregor-Svetec
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 2973; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15062973 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 814
Abstract
Modern packaging must be efficient, safe, and attractively designed, while also minimizing unnecessary waste. Eco-design principles, such as material reduction, reusability, and minimal environmental impact, were central to this study. We applied these principles to the development of innovative, multipurpose gift packaging and [...] Read more.
Modern packaging must be efficient, safe, and attractively designed, while also minimizing unnecessary waste. Eco-design principles, such as material reduction, reusability, and minimal environmental impact, were central to this study. We applied these principles to the development of innovative, multipurpose gift packaging and labels, optimizing material use, eliminating unnecessary printing, and integrating sustainable features such as a structural design which requires no gluing. Alongside choosing eco-friendly materials, namely corrugated cardboard and a biodegradable paper label, eco-design guidelines in packaging and label creation were followed. Packaging of unconventional shape without printing and different versions of labels for bottles and packaging were designed. Graphic elements included on the labels are the logo, illustration, 18th Century font, and lines of varying thicknesses. To provide additional information and enhance product appeal while reducing printing, an interactive element was incorporated. In the conducted study, the respondents of a survey and focus groups evaluated the quality, price range, and visual appeal of packaging and labels. For the augmented reality application, a label with a QR code was created. A scenario and a visual story board were created, and an animation activated via the QR code was produced. The usage experience was tested by the focus groups, who provided feedback on the animation and the overall experience. This iterative process ensured that the packaging and labels met both functional and experiential expectations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media)
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17 pages, 236 KiB  
Article
Less Is More in Digital Games Too: A Comparative Analysis of Visual Elements of Physical and Digital Versions for Two Tabletop Games
by Darijo Čerepinko, Robert Štefanović, Krunoslav Hajdek and Petar Miljković
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020715 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 946
Abstract
The changing habits of consuming entertainment via digital channels have been well researched in contemporary academic papers, as has the migration of different forms and formats into digital environments. Often these migrations are based on familiarity for facilitating the smooth transition into the [...] Read more.
The changing habits of consuming entertainment via digital channels have been well researched in contemporary academic papers, as has the migration of different forms and formats into digital environments. Often these migrations are based on familiarity for facilitating the smooth transition into the new format, with additions specific to the digital channel (e.g., animations, sound effects, 3D perspectives, etc.) that are supposed to enhance user experience. In this paper, we present a comparative study of visual elements used in physical and digital versions of two tabletop games (Monopoly and UNO). Results from a sample of 100 players of both versions show higher overall satisfaction when engaging with the physical version of the games and significantly lower satisfaction with various visual elements in digital versions, such as overall visual perception, colors, and visual appearance of some key elements of the games. On closer inspection, the results show that the tendency to overload user interfaces with an abundance of interactive and visually enhanced features may reduce game enjoyment and overall satisfaction with the game, presumably due to factors such as information overload and cognitive distraction. In conclusion, it seems that the rule “less is more” could also be applied to the digital transition explained in this article. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media)
20 pages, 5882 KiB  
Article
Speed of Reading Instructions for Creative Task Performance: Influence of Typography and Reading Media
by Marija Toure, Helena Gabrijelčič Tomc and Klementina Možina
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 11716; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142411716 - 16 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1094
Abstract
Teachers often serve as creators of written instructions that students use to complete assignments. This research investigates whether the speed at which the instructions are read is impacted by different visual designs (such as typeface shape, colour, and layout) and the media through [...] Read more.
Teachers often serve as creators of written instructions that students use to complete assignments. This research investigates whether the speed at which the instructions are read is impacted by different visual designs (such as typeface shape, colour, and layout) and the media through which they are presented (digital or traditional). The objective is to determine if these factors influence reading time; therefore, an experiment was carried out. The experiment employed a 5 × 5 Latin square design, with student participants reading the same task instructions in both digital (near and far) and traditional formats. Each set of instructions was presented in a different typographic solution. Reading times were self-recorded and analysed using ANOVA to assess the effects of typographic solutions and reading media. The study did not reveal any statistically significant differences in reading speed based on the colour of the text and background as well as typographic solutions. However, it did find a statistically significant variation between reading media, with variations between digital and traditional formats. These results are crucial for enhancing the design of instructional materials, suggesting the necessity of carefully considering reading media in educational contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media)
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13 pages, 1492 KiB  
Article
Determining Effective Color Combinations for Enhanced Legibility Presented on Print and Digital Formats
by Petra Buljat, Dorotea Kovačević and Rahela Kulčar
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 11498; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142411498 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1329
Abstract
This study explores the impact of different color hue combinations and medium types (print and digital) on reading performance and comprehension. The purpose is to understand how these factors may influence text legibility and to offer practical insights for designers on optimizing visual [...] Read more.
This study explores the impact of different color hue combinations and medium types (print and digital) on reading performance and comprehension. The purpose is to understand how these factors may influence text legibility and to offer practical insights for designers on optimizing visual design in presenting promotional content. Fifty-two participants read texts with various color palettes presented on both print and digital formats. The following color combinations were used in the experiment: achromatic (black on gray), achromatic–chromatic (black on green), and chromatic (purple on green). Reading time and comprehension score were measured to identify any significant differences between these conditions. The results show that the color combinations significantly affected reading time, regardless of the medium type. However, neither color nor medium had a significant effect on text comprehension. The main outcome is that the combination of achromatic text on a chromatic background appeared to be the most effective combination for enhancing the legibility of promotional text. Our findings suggest that graphic designers can choose particular color combinations to optimize reading speed without worrying about negative effects on the comprehension of the texts used in promotional materials across various mediums. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media)
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14 pages, 1762 KiB  
Article
NFC Tag Awareness and Its Visual Implementation on Food Packaging: Case Study in Slovenia
by Tina Žurbi and Diana Gregor-Svetec
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(21), 9933; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14219933 - 30 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1613
Abstract
Many companies are using smart packaging to provide consumers with more information about their products. The goal of our case study is to access the Near Field Communication (NFC) tag knowledge, as well as getting insights into tag positioning in food package design [...] Read more.
Many companies are using smart packaging to provide consumers with more information about their products. The goal of our case study is to access the Near Field Communication (NFC) tag knowledge, as well as getting insights into tag positioning in food package design for better visibility in order to develop some guidelines for future tag implementations. A preliminary survey of professionals provided an overview of NFC tag usage, followed by an online survey that assessed knowledge and visibility of tag placements. These findings were further discussed in focus groups and measured using eye-tracking technology. For placement visibility assessments, well-known and fictitious packaging designs of milk were used. The results show that, due to the NFC tag’s low market penetration, consumer recognition is low, with only generations Y and Z being familiar with the NFC tag. Knowledge of the NFC tag does not significantly vary based on education level. When considering the use of NFC tags, it is crucial to define and understand the target market. If the target is younger generations, the potential to increase engagement with the product can be achieved. Additionally, to boost consumer interaction, NFC tags or other smart elements should include an activation prompt, positioned on the central right section of the packaging and distinguished by a distinct color. The influence of the design on tag visibility is essential to ensure its effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Findings in Visual Communications on Visibility or Legibility in Different Media)
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